Competitiveness of container terminal operating companies in South Korea and the industry–university–government network

Burgeoning container port facilities have fostered intensified competition among container terminal operating companies (CTOCs). However, despite research into their survival strategies which identified antecedents of competitiveness including hard factors such as facilities, available cargo and cargo processing ability, softer factors spanning human resource management, networks and strategic alliances with universities and government agencies in industry–university–government (I–U–G) networks have been overlooked. This study aims to examine both hard and softer antecedents of competitiveness as perceived by 152 professionals in South Korean CTOCs; empirical relationships among these antecedents, I–U–G networks, and competitiveness itself; and the significance of the I–U–G network in establishing and improving competitiveness. Posited antecedents of competitiveness included human resources, facilities, service quality, customer orientation, reputation, and government support policy as independent variables; the I–U–G network as a moderating variable; and competitiveness as a dependent variable. Empirical structural relationships revealed that excepting government support policy, each variable significantly affected CTOC competitiveness. Further, the I–U–G network moderated the relationships between the antecedents of competitiveness and competitiveness. Because an effective I–U–G network was pivotal in controlling CTOC competitiveness, improved competitiveness requires not only differentiation of human resources, facilities, service quality, customer orientation, and reputation factors but also I–U–G network developments.     

双块式轨枕外形质量快速检测系统研制及应用

SK?2型双块式混凝土轨枕是高速铁路无砟轨道结构中的重要预制件,单一生产厂日均产量达到800~1400根,但目前的人工检测方式无法满足双块式轨枕的出厂检验要求。本文提出的双块式轨枕外形质量快速检测系统可满足TB/T 3397—2015《CRTS双块式无砟轨道混凝土轨枕》的出厂检验要求,与双块式轨枕生产线相匹配,大大提高了检测效率,实现了双块式轨枕全参数、自动化、智能化检测。检测数据自动上传至生产管理平台,可对双块式轨枕生产质量进行跟踪管理。     

车务可视化信息系统设计与实现

车务可视化信息系统通过三维模型及虚拟漫游的展现形式,将铁路运行及运营的动态信息进行集成和柔性展示,实现旅客服务信息及运输管理相关数据的整合,通过可视化的展现方式既方便旅客及管理人员,又充分展示铁路信息化建设的成果。     

重大铁路工程标准化开工组织清单化管理研究

随着铁路建设的发展,标准化管理水平越来越高,对工程质量的提升效果也越来越明显。但目前铁路工程开工标准化在操作过程上缺少科学管理方法和管理手段,开工标准化流于形式,影响后续主体工程施工。对此,文章创新性地提出重大铁路工程标准化开工组织清单化管理的思路,提出工作流程,设计管理实施方案,并在某重大铁路工程进行运用,取得良好效果。标准化开工组织清单化管理对于重大铁路工程的高质量、快速开工具有重要的指导意义。     

移动闭塞系统区间通过能力分析及参数计算

移动闭塞条件下“闭塞分区”呈现出“移动”和“长度变化”的特征,其区间通过能力的计算较固定闭塞系统更加复杂。本文建立了移动闭塞系统区间通过能力的数学模型,对区间通过能力与列车追踪运行速度、跟驰车距和列车性能等参数之间的相互关系进行了定性、定量分析,并就关鍵参数的计算方法进行了深入的讨论,对移动闭塞条件下的列车运行控制与行车组织有一定的参考价值。     

铁路沿线城市空间物业开发研究——以宝鸡市南客站核心区站前广场工程为例

为了提升铁路沿线城市空间物业开发的设计手法,结合宝鸡市南客站核心区站前广场工程的设计实践,从系统性设计观、工程性质解析、消防设计思路、空间建构方法、无缝接驳、技术要素等方面进行研究分析,展示将铁路与城市系统进行一体化设计、利用自然资源解决消防和投资问题、平层空间中对多种交通体系的有机组织、不同坐标和高程系统背景下分区域构建柱网、各板块交接处的问题解决等技术成果,总结出同类型建筑的设计思路,力求为该领域的建筑设计发展提供有益的借鉴。     

The problem of cold starts: A closer look at mobile source emissions levels

While the phenomenon of excess vehicle emissions from cold-start conditions is well known, the magnitude and duration of this phenomenon is often unclear due to the complex chemical processes involved and uncertainty in the literature on this subject. This paper synthesizes key findings regarding the influence of ambient and engine temperatures on light-duty vehicle (LDV) emissions. Existing literature, as well as analytical tools like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES), indicate that while total vehicle emissions have dropped significantly in recent years, those associated with cold starts can still constitute up to 80% for some pollutant species. Starting emissions are consistently found to make up a high proportion of total transportation-related methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). After 3–4 min of vehicle operation, both the engine coolant and the catalytic converter have generally warmed, and emissions are significantly lower. This effect lasts roughly 45 min after the engine is shut off, though the cooling rate depends greatly on the emission species and ambient temperature. Electrically (pre-)heated catalysts, using the bigger batteries available on hybrid drivetrains and plug-in vehicles, may be the most cost-effective technology to bring down a sizable share of mobile source emissions. Trip chaining (to keep engines warm) and shifting to non-motorized modes for shorter trips, where the cold start can dominate emissions, are also valuable tactics.     

Is the intention to use public transport for different travel purposes determined by different factors?

The objective of this study was to examine the psychological predictors of the intention to use public transport for three travel purposes: work or study, shopping, and leisure. An expanded version of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) which contains overall image and past behaviour is used. Data were gathered through the survey of 392 residents living in the central parts of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. These data were analysed using the partial least squares technique. The results indicate that attitude and perceived behavioural control are significant predictors of the intention to use public transportation for various purposes. Further, they explain between 34.6% and 49.8% of the intention variance. By adding the overall image and past behaviour to the original predictors in the TPB, the explained variance, with regard to work or study, shopping, and leisure purposes, increased by 5.6%, 5.1%, and 6.8%, respectively.     

Including congestion effects in urban road traffic CO2 emissions modelling: Do Local Government Authorities have the right options?

Tailpipe emissions from vehicles on urban road networks have damaging impacts, with the problem exacerbated by the common occurrence of congestion. This article focuses on carbon dioxide because it is the largest constituent of road traffic greenhouse gas emissions. Local Government Authorities (LGAs) are typically responsible for facilitating mitigation of these emissions, and critical to this task is the ability to assess the impact of transport interventions on road traffic emissions for a whole network.This article presents a contemporary review of literature concerning road traffic data and its use by LGAs in emissions models (EMs). Emphasis on the practicalities of using data readily available to LGAs to estimate network level emissions and inform effective policy is a relatively new research area, and this article summarises achievements so far. Results of the literature review indicate that readily available data are aggregated at traffic level rather than disaggregated at individual vehicle level. Hence, a hypothesis is put forward that optimal EM complexity is one using traffic variables as inputs, allowing LGAs to capture the influence of congestion whilst avoiding the complexity of detailed EMs that estimate emissions at vehicle level.Existing methodologies for estimating network emissions based on traffic variables typically have limitations. Conclusions are that LGAs do not necessarily have the right options, and that more research in this domain is required, both to quantify accuracy and to further develop EMs that explicitly include congestion, whilst remaining within LGA resource constraints.     

Time use in travel surveys and time use surveys – Two sides of the same coin?

An in-depth understanding of travel behaviour determinants, including the relationship to non-travel activities, is the foundation for modelling and policy making. National Travel Surveys (NTS) and time use surveys (TUS) are two major data sources for travel behaviour and activity participation. The aim of this paper is to systematically compare both survey types regarding travel activities and non-travel activities. The analyses are based on the German National Travel Survey and the German National Time Use Survey from 2002.The number of trips and daily travel time for mobile respondents were computed as the main travel estimates. The number of trips per person is higher in the German TUS when changes in location without a trip are included. Location changes without a trip are consecutive non-trip activities with different locations but without a trip in-between. The daily travel time is consistently higher in the German TUS. The main reason for this difference is the 10-min interval used. Differences in travel estimates between the German TUS and NTS result from several interaction effects. Activity time in NTS is comparable with TUS for subsistence activities.Our analyses confirm that both survey types have advantages and disadvantages. TUS provide reliable travel estimates. The number of trips even seems preferable to NTS if missed trips are properly identified and considered. Daily travel times are somewhat exaggerated due to the 10-min interval. The fixed time interval is the most important limitation of TUS data. The result is that trip times in TUS do not represent actual trip times very well and should be treated with caution.We can use NTS activity data for subsistence activities between the first trip and the last trip. This can potentially benefit activity-based approaches since most activities before the first trip and after the last trip are typical home-based activities which are rarely substituted by out-of-home activities.